Question: Before the coming of Lord Caitanya was there a line of spiritual masters who were chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa? 

Author: Devotee
Date: 2024-09-25
Jayapatākā Swami: Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra is written in the Vedas, which are written 5000 years ago.
Kali Santaraṇa Upaniṣad, Nārada Pañcarātra, different śāstras mention Hare Kṛṣṇa… Hare Kṛṣṇa Hare Rāma mantras.
Hare Kṛṣṇa is chanted on different levels.
When Hare Kṛṣṇa is chanted by the gopīs in separation of Kṛṣṇa, that is the most intense.
So Caitanya Mahāprabhu, He brought down the Hare Kṛṣṇa chanting from Goloka Vṛndāvana.
Therefore the chanters following in the footsteps of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, their chanting is of the most intense.
Category: [Guru (Spiritual Master) / Guru-paramparā]

Related Questions

My question is our paramparā, Bhāgavata-guru-paramparā or Dīkṣā-guru-paramparā? Please answer me, sorry for asking a question outside the subject matter.
Questioner: Śacīputra Avatāra dāsa
Date: 2022-01-05
Jayapatākā Swami: Our guru-paramparā is Bhāgavata-paramparā. 
That means whichever connection is stronger they do it. 
Whichever relationship is stronger it is given.
In most cases it is dīkṣā 
but in some cases it may be śikṣā. 
Actually, all the cases are usually dīkṣā 
but our sampradāya is given by Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura Prabhupāda. 
And he saw that the dīkṣā-guru of Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura was giving preference to the brāhmaṇas. 
The born brāhmaṇas. So Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura thought the guru was a jāthi-gosāñi.
Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura had been educated by Siddha Jagannātha dāsa Bābājī 
and gave much importance to this connection. 
This way this is a Bhāgavata-paramparā. 
Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura took initiation from Gaura Kiśora dāsa Bābājī. 
By that way, 
we are also dīkṣā-paramparā. 
But we give importance to the Bhāgavata-paramparā. 
That way since Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura took his initiation from Gaura Kiśora dāsa Bābājī, 
that way the other Vaiṣṇavas they accept Gaura Kiśora dāsa Bābājī. 
So in that way we also have the dīkṣā-paramparā. 
But the paramparā which is in our books 
is the Bhāgavata-paramparā.
Category: [Guru (Spiritual Master) / Guru-paramparā]
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